ON GUARD: Guard Assists in South Georgia Firefighting Efforts

Nearly two weeks of fighting wild fires came to an end last week as the Georgia National Guard, coordinating work from the here in Marietta, finished work assisting the Georgia Forestry Commission with fighting two blazes in the southern part of the state.

Army Guard personnel and equipment from elements of Augusta’s 878th Engineer Battalion – to include three heavy bulldozer teams – and Cummings’ Company D, 348th Brigade Support Battalion, are now back at their home stations, and have returned to their regular duty status, according to Capt. Cortney Hawkins, the 878th’s administrative officer.

CH-47D helicopters and crews from Savannah’s Detachment 1, Company B, 169th Aviation, at Hunter Army Airfield – used to drop water onto the Honey Prairie fire near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and the Sweat Farm Again fire near Waycross – stood down earlier in the week, said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jeffery Hutchinson, the unit’s maintenance officer.

Air Guard personnel and heavy earth moving equipment from Savannah’s 165th Airlift Wing and the Combat Readiness Training Center have also returned home.

From the time they arrived on June 17 to support local, state and federal firefighters who had been battling the Honey Prairie, Sweat Farm and Racepond blazes since April, Army and Air Guard crews cleared an estimated 4.46 kilometers of firebreaks, and opened movement routes for the fire suppression water tankers to travel, Hawkins said.

“Everyone involved volunteered for the mission, and they all performed with energy and enthusiasm,” Hawkins said. "We all – Army and Air – train hard, and prepare well, for everything we do, including providing support to civil authorities during such emergencies.”

The battalion, Hawkins added, is “extremely proud of its Soldiers,” and knows the 348th and the Air Guard would say the same of their personnel.

In doing their part to suppress the fires, the 169th’s three Chinooks have, since June 15, flown more than 26 hours and picked up water more than 60 times from area lakes, ponds and rivers, dropping about 132,000 gallons onto the Honey Prairie and Sweat Farm fires, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jeffrey Hutchinson, the unit’s maintenance officer, reported.

“Low visibility and rising air currents caused by the heat of the fires really challenged our crews and aircraft, but they hung in there, got the job done and did it well,” Hutchinson said. “As Guardsmen, we not only train to support the warfight, but to also support the homeland mission, and we are well suited to doing both.”

Major Gen. Maria L. Britt, Georgia Army Guard Commander, pointed out that, not only did the Guardsmen help combat the South Georgia wildfires, they did it on very little notice.  The aviation personnel, for example, were quick in their response, and through that, helped firefighters position crews in “appropriate areas, which ultimately led to the containment of the fires in their most resistant areas.”

According to the most recent Georgia Forestry Commission figures, the Honey Prairie fire burned an estimated 286,698 acres, and is now 70 percent contained, while Sweat Farm Again fire has destroyed about 19,169 acres, and is 75 percent contained. As for the Racepond fire, it has burned close to 20,934 acres, and is 72 percent contained. Firefighters continue to mop up and widen fire lines on all three fires, with Racepond resources continuing to provide structure protection at Okefenokee Swamp Park.

Combining Army and Air Guard efforts leverages and complements their capabilities, thereby making the Georgia Guard response to any given emergency even stronger, Britt said.

“Our Soldiers and Airmen are always ready to do their part in helping our communities, any way they can, whenever they can,” she said. “In situations such as this, the National Guard’s dual capabilities [supporting the warfight and supporting civil authority here at home] proves vital to accomplishing the mission, no matter where that may be.”

For live updates about the wildfires, visit the Georgia Forestry Commission's website.